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Letter to the editor

Today's Letters: Let's protect, preserve the habitat of Shell Key

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published October 7, 2007

The Three B's of Shell Island Preserve:

I'm a lifelong boater and I love it; it's why I moved to Florida.

I love birds. As a nature study tour guide, I think Florida is the place to be.

And, third, I like beer.

But most of all, I like the County Commission's decision to employ a management plan to protect and preserve the natural habitat on Shell Key. Boaters are not feared to become extinct; there are more every day. Beer drinkers are not endangered. Birds, on the other hand, are both endangered and disappearing on Shell Key. Boaters will find another place. Dogs love dog parks. And beer drinkers, well, love beer wherever they are.

I'd like to invite and encourage all boaters to get involved in one of the many cleanup programs (of which there are many) that are happening in Florida all the time.

It's during these cleanups that parents, kids, friends and relatives get to see the "real Florida" and have a chance to make an immediate impact on "your" environment.

Kurt Zuelsdorf, Gulfport

Fort De Soto raises camping feesOct. 3, story

Not exactly roughing it

The Pinellas County Parks and Recreation Department has decided to jack up camping fees at Fort De Soto so that people with RVs will have enough electricity to enjoy their satellite TVs and computers. This is camping?

It just isn't fair to those of us who enjoy tent camping. It's bad enough that we have to endure the whine of their air conditioners, the glare of their lighting systems, and the views being blocked by their behemoth vehicles. Now we are expected to pay for supporting their Disney experience in the wilderness.

We'll gladly pay the additional fees - simply provide us with a primitive camping area away from all of these "campers."

Ray Dabkowski, Dunedin

Antigay views cost candidate Sept. 27

Candidate being honest

Do we need an honest city official?

I am always amazed at how people react to honesty. So St. Petersburg City Council candidate Gershom Faulkner is honest enough to express his beliefs. He has just proved to us he will not lie to get a vote. With my religion, I am also uncomfortable with the gay lifestyle. Some of us have friends and relatives who are gay; we still love and support them.

I can bet you that not another one of Faulkner's fellow candidates would be willing to render an honest answer. Or would they give an answer that would be more acceptable? Homophobic? I think not. I have not noticed one campaign sign removed or talked to one person who thinks Faulkner should have lied and danced around the question.

If we lived in Iran, I would not be writing. Remember the little guy who stated, "In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country." Politics and religion - go figure.

Ann-Marie Cooper, St. Petersburg

Divide county in half

Recent goings-on at the County Commission level have caused me to resurrect a dream for the future of St. Petersburg, its government and that of our neighbors in south Pinellas. We have little in common with north Pinellas, and county government, as currently constituted, seems to care little about us or our concerns. It's time for some action and change.

My suggestion is that a new county be formed - a consolidated city and county of St. Petersburg consisting of that part of Pinellas south of Nursery Road or Ulmerton Road, creating two counties where one exists today.

We can thus be masters of our own fate and let what remains of the county north of that line do as it will. I hope that Gulfport, South Pasadena, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island and perhaps part of Madeira Beach would join with us, as well as Lealman, Kenneth City and others equally concerned.

If "the devil is in the details," a thousand of those need to be addressed. They should be addressed now and talked out to see if a more vibrant, responsive and energetic entity can result. Can't hurt - and it might help.

W.F. Davenport Jr., St. Petersburg

Vandals attack park's public artwork Sept. 26, story

Vandals should pay price

When vandals purposely destroy property for the sheer enjoyment of getting their kicks, they should be made to repair the destruction or replace it. The cost should be a loan in the name of that person for the cost of the damage. That person will then have the rest of his or her life to make restitution.

A little time in jail doesn't mean anything to these people. But a few bucks out of their own pockets will hurt and would be remembered. A one-time class, for one day, by a teacher, to show how restitution works should make vandals think twice before they act. When people damage something, they should pay for it. Jail time does nothing.

Donald F. Kelly, St. Petersburg

Boat slip freeze is a jolt Sept. 15, story

Save gentle manatees

It's good to see the Army Corps of Engineers halt some boat slip projects in south Pinellas to protect our sea creatures. For anyone who has seen the manatee up close, I can't imagine them wanting boats to take over the water while they know the danger to these creatures.

We just returned from a fishing trip to Cabbage Key, near Pineland. While we were there, my son, David, called me to come to the edge of the boat dock about 6 a.m. There was a huge manatee under the dock. David lay down on the dock and stroked this beautiful creature for 15 minutes. Then it went to the other side and turned around and came right back to where David was, and he stroked it for about 10 more minutes before it swam away.

To view up close the cuts and scars from the boats was heartbreaking. I'm not talking about little cuts. One on its back was almost 2 feet long and deep enough to see the white flesh under the black skin. It also had a chunk cut out of its tail fin. It was so sad to see such a gentle creature cut up from speeding boats. I just don't see how responsible boat owners can agree to more crowding of our waters when they know the danger.

Let's save the manatees and limit the clutter to our waterfronts with fewer boat slips.

Fran Glaros-Sharp, Clearwater

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[Last modified October 7, 2007, 01:39:24]